Team:KU Leuven

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Since the world population keeps on growing and all people need to be fed, it’s important that crop yields are optimized. Different factors ranging from weather to diseases and pests have a huge impact on food suppliess worldwide. An example of one of these factors are <b>aphid pests</b>, these can lead to <b>yield losses worth millions of dollars</b>! Aphids, little insects belonging to the family of Aphididae, can be found everywhere: ranging from crop fields to fruit trees and even in vegetable and flower gardens. Farmers try to control them by using <b>insecticides</b>, but these <b>harm the environment</b> and aphids can become resistant to them quite rapidly. This is why we, <b>the KU Leuven iGEM 2013 team</b>, created an ecological <b>insecticide-free aphid controlling mechanism, which mimics natural signalling systems</b> used by both plants and insects. <br/>
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The world population keeps on growing and since all people need to be fed while cultivable land is a limited resource, it is important to optimise crop yields. Different factors ranging from weather to diseases and pests have a huge impact on food supplies worldwide. An example of one of these factors are <b>aphid pests</b>. These can lead to <b>yield losses worth more than a quarter billion US dollars</b>! <br/>Aphids leech on plants everywhere: ranging from crop fields to fruit trees and even in vegetable and flower gardens. Farmers try to control them by using insecticides, but these harm the environment and aphids can become resistant to them quite readily. This is why we, the KU Leuven iGEM 2013 team, created an <b>ecological insecticide-free aphid controlling mechanism</b>, which mimics natural signalling systems used by both plants and insects. <br/>
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Our bacterium is called <b>E. coligy</b> and produces <b>two pheromones</b>. The first one is methyl salicylate, which  plays a role in a plant’s defence response and is produced by the plant upon infestation. The second pheromone is β-farnesene, which is an aphid alarm pheromone. In our system E. coligy produces <b>β-farnesene to repel aphids</b>, while the <b>methyl-salicylate</b> is meant to <b>attract their natural predators</b> such as ladybugs. We proved the functionality of these pheromones by performing <b>insect experiments at two companies</b>, Biobest and PC Fruit. Both companies were very interested in the concept of our project.<br/>
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We designed <b>two systems</b> in which E. coligy can be incorporated. <b>In the first system bacteria are sprayed on the plants</b> and in this case the production of pheromones is dependent on the presence of aphids. This system avoids the habituation of aphids by only becoming active in the presence of aphids. The <b>second system</b> consists of <b>a sticker containing E. coligy</b>, that can be attached to a plant. In this system the production of both pheromones is alternated by the use of our own designed oscillating system. This <b>oscillator</b> was <b>very extensively modelled</b> by our team.<br/>
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Since E. coligy will be introduced in the environment, the ethical aspect of our project may not be underestimated. Therefore a philosophy student joined our team to study the link between ethics and synthetic biology. He did this by <b>interviewing the complete team</b> in order to  clarify our ethical believes and its relation to synthetic biology, by organizing <b>a lecture with Hub Zwart</b> (a Dutch philosopher focusing on science). We also organized a <b>symposium to inform the general public</b> about the ethical aspects of our project and to open discussion. After inviting our neighbouring Benelux teams, some <b>other iGEM-teams participated</b>. Furthermore we wrote an ethical evaluation of our project.  Another way by which we have involved the public is by <b>interviewing farmers</b> to ask if they would use E. coligy and by going to schools with our <b>own designed 3D-bacterium and biobricks</b> to let students take their first steps in the fascinating world of synthetic biology. 
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Our bacteria are called <b>BanAphids and produce two pheromones</b>. The first one is methyl salicylate, which plays a role in a <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Project/Ecological/Background#MeS effect on plants1">plant’s defence response</a> and is produced by the plant upon aphid infestation. The second pheromone is E-β-farnesene, which is an aphid alarm pheromone. In our system the BanAphids produce E-β-farnesene <b>to repel aphids</b>, while the methyl salicylate is meant <b>to attract their natural predators</b> such as ladybugs. In order to provide a proof of principle we contacted <b> companies specialised in crop protection</b>, <a href="http://www.biobest.be">Biobest</a> and <a href="http://www.pcfruit.be">pc fruit</a>, where we showed the functionality of these pheromones by performing insect experiments. Both companies were very interested and saw our project as a promising alternative solution.<br/>
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We designed <b>two systems</b> of implementation for our BanAphids. In the <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Project/HoneydewSystem">first</a> system, BanAphids are <b>sprayed on the plants</b> and in this case the production of pheromones is dependent on the presence of aphids. This system avoids the habituation of aphids to E-β-farnesene by only becoming active in the presence of aphids. The <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Project/StickerSystem">second</a> system consists of <b>a sticker containing BanAphids</b>, that can be attached to a plant. This sticker system alternates the production of the pheromones by the use of <b>our own designed oscillating system</b>. This <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Project/Oscillator/Description">oscillator</a> was extensively modelled by our team.</p>
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      <p align="justify">In this video you will see the first behavioural experiment with aphids and BanAphids. An EBF-producing bacterium plate is placed on the left, a blank on the right, aphids are placed on the leaf in the middle. The first results seem positive, as we can see them moving from left to right. (You may have to watch the video in full screen to clearly see the aphids.)</p>
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Since <b>BanAphids</b> will be introduced in the environment, the ethical aspect of our project cannot be underestimated. Therefore we developed a new additional approach: <b>Bottom-up or ethics from within!</b>
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In order to improve communication between different stakeholders and achieve reciprocal understanding in early stages of the project, we decided to develop a new additional approach from which the government, scientists, the public and even the industry can benefit.<br/>
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This new approach is bottom-up structured where the dialogue between philosophers, scientists and the general public is central. And with the help of a unique collaboration between a <b>philosophy student who joined the KU Leuven iGEM team</b> and the general public, we have developed a new and strong <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Human_Practices/Bottom_Up_Philosopher">framework</a> for this approach. <br/><br/>
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We organised <b>a <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Human_Outreach/Seminars">symposium</a> and a <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Human_Practices/Ethics/Debate">debate</a></b> to inform the general public about our project and to open the discussion on the ethical aspects. We invited our neighbouring Benelux (Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourgh) iGEM teams for both events. Some teams participated this year so we are now considering a "Benelux-GEM slam" for the future. We also went out on the street and interviewed <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Human_Practices/EndUser">farmers</a> to ask if they would use <b>BanAphids</b> and visited several <a href="https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/Human_Outreach/Education">schools</a> with our own <b>BioBricks</b> and 3D-bacterium design to let students take their first steps in the fascinating world of synthetic biology.</p>
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Latest revision as of 01:24, 29 October 2013

iGem

Secret garden

Congratulations! You've found our secret garden! Follow the instructions below and win a great prize at the World jamboree!


  • A video shows that two of our team members are having great fun at our favourite company. Do you know the name of the second member that appears in the video?
  • For one of our models we had to do very extensive computations. To prevent our own computers from overheating and to keep the temperature in our iGEM room at a normal level, we used a supercomputer. Which centre maintains this supercomputer? (Dutch abbreviation)
  • We organised a symposium with a debate, some seminars and 2 iGEM project presentations. An iGEM team came all the way from the Netherlands to present their project. What is the name of their city?

Now put all of these in this URL:https://2013.igem.org/Team:KU_Leuven/(firstname)(abbreviation)(city), (loose the brackets and put everything in lowercase) and follow the very last instruction to get your special jamboree prize!

tree ladybugcartoon

The world population keeps on growing and since all people need to be fed while cultivable land is a limited resource, it is important to optimise crop yields. Different factors ranging from weather to diseases and pests have a huge impact on food supplies worldwide. An example of one of these factors are aphid pests. These can lead to yield losses worth more than a quarter billion US dollars!
Aphids leech on plants everywhere: ranging from crop fields to fruit trees and even in vegetable and flower gardens. Farmers try to control them by using insecticides, but these harm the environment and aphids can become resistant to them quite readily. This is why we, the KU Leuven iGEM 2013 team, created an ecological insecticide-free aphid controlling mechanism, which mimics natural signalling systems used by both plants and insects.


Datapage

All our achievements on one small page!

Project

Want to know more about our project?

Team

Meet the team!

Human Practices

Ethics, talks with industry and more

Modelling

See our super computers in action!

Notebook

What DID we do all summer?

Our bacteria are called BanAphids and produce two pheromones. The first one is methyl salicylate, which plays a role in a plant’s defence response and is produced by the plant upon aphid infestation. The second pheromone is E-β-farnesene, which is an aphid alarm pheromone. In our system the BanAphids produce E-β-farnesene to repel aphids, while the methyl salicylate is meant to attract their natural predators such as ladybugs. In order to provide a proof of principle we contacted companies specialised in crop protection, Biobest and pc fruit, where we showed the functionality of these pheromones by performing insect experiments. Both companies were very interested and saw our project as a promising alternative solution.
We designed two systems of implementation for our BanAphids. In the first system, BanAphids are sprayed on the plants and in this case the production of pheromones is dependent on the presence of aphids. This system avoids the habituation of aphids to E-β-farnesene by only becoming active in the presence of aphids. The second system consists of a sticker containing BanAphids, that can be attached to a plant. This sticker system alternates the production of the pheromones by the use of our own designed oscillating system. This oscillator was extensively modelled by our team.

banaphids

Pilot study!



In this video you will see the first behavioural experiment with aphids and BanAphids. An EBF-producing bacterium plate is placed on the left, a blank on the right, aphids are placed on the leaf in the middle. The first results seem positive, as we can see them moving from left to right. (You may have to watch the video in full screen to clearly see the aphids.)


Speakers and the moderator at our debate.

We designed our own BioBricks for the educational workshops!

Since BanAphids will be introduced in the environment, the ethical aspect of our project cannot be underestimated. Therefore we developed a new additional approach: Bottom-up or ethics from within! In order to improve communication between different stakeholders and achieve reciprocal understanding in early stages of the project, we decided to develop a new additional approach from which the government, scientists, the public and even the industry can benefit.
This new approach is bottom-up structured where the dialogue between philosophers, scientists and the general public is central. And with the help of a unique collaboration between a philosophy student who joined the KU Leuven iGEM team and the general public, we have developed a new and strong framework for this approach.

We organised a symposium and a debate to inform the general public about our project and to open the discussion on the ethical aspects. We invited our neighbouring Benelux (Belgium, The Netherlands, Luxembourgh) iGEM teams for both events. Some teams participated this year so we are now considering a "Benelux-GEM slam" for the future. We also went out on the street and interviewed farmers to ask if they would use BanAphids and visited several schools with our own BioBricks and 3D-bacterium design to let students take their first steps in the fascinating world of synthetic biology.

Picture gallery